Yasmak Sultan Hotel

Hypnotic and haunting, the traditional sema ceremony of the whirling dervishes dates back to the 13th century. Watch the dervishes whirl to the Sufi’s haunting, hypnotic music.

Three world-class collections, including the famous Alexander sarcophagus, fascinating prehistoric art and gorgeous Ottoman tiles.

Magical 6th-century underground cistern, once used to supply water to Istanbul’s Ottoman emperors.

The 15th and-16th century home of the Ottoman Sultans, this magnificently decadent palace is a perfectly preserved time capsule of life at the top in this most exotic of empires.

This gleaming white bathhouse was designed in 1556 by Mimar Sinan, the architect of the city’s greatest mosques – it’s now a modern, luxurious spa (albeit an expensive one) and a destination in itself. A basic 30-minute bath treatment includes a kese scrub and olive-oil soap massage.

This treasure trove of Islamic art and artefacts holds one of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, carpets, calligraphy, metalwork and ethnographic items, spanning over a thousand years. It offers a fascinating insight into the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Turkey. A must for decorative arts fans.

Super authentic spot near the Grand Bazaar where you can smoke nargile (a water pipe or hookah) and drink tea in the courtyard of a mosque from 1709.

For a glimpse into the ancient Byzantine era, try this museum showcasing a vast collection of beautifully preserved 5th and 6th-century AD mosaics and artefacts from the Great Palace of Constantinople, the palace of the first Byzantine Emperors. Marvel at intricate designs depicting mythological scenes, historical figures and nature.

Exotic, inexhaustible and dynamic – East meets West head-on in this mesmerising city metropolis, famed for its extraordinarily rich history, superb food and shopping, and mind-blowingly magnificent, over-sized mosques.